The Bay Book Nook Reviews - December 2011

The Snowy Dayby Ezra Jack Keats Recommended for ages 2-6

Ezra Jack Keats wrote and illustrated this book, which won the Caldecott Medal in 1963 for its lovely collage and watercolor artwork. Young Peter wakes one morning to a world of snow and naturally spends the day playing in and exploring it. This book is great to use when introducing the concept of snow to young readers (especially those living in southern Mississippi), as well as simple joys like snow angels and sledding. Peter can be found in other books by Keats including Peter’s Chair and A Letter to Amy. And for a real treat, visit the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection in Hattiesburg where you can view the original artwork from this book.

Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto} Recommended for ages 5-8

Maria gets to help make the tamales for Christmas Eve dinner, but then realizes that she can’t find her mother’s diamond ring after trying it on….so of course it must have fallen into the tamale dough! After convincing her cousins to help out, they eat all of the tamales, only to find no ring (unless cousin Danny accidentally ate it!). The ending is yours to discover, as are the warm illustrations and a story about holiday traditions that any reader will enjoy.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson Recommended for ages 8-12

“The Herdmans were absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world.” A wonderful opening line of a wonderful book. The Herdmans are awful – they lie, steal, cuss, and even smoke cigars. The horror! And then they manage to win the lead roles in the local and sacred Christmas pageant. You can only imagine the chaos that ensues, and you can only enjoy it if you read the book! And if you find yourself wondering why the Herdmans even went to church…well, for the snacks of course.

Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle Recommended for ages 14-18

Three popular young adult book authors (Green, Johnson, and Myracle) team up for this fun holiday romance. If teens are already a fan of even just one of these three authors, they’ll enjoy this book for sure; if they aren’t, what rock have they been hiding under?! Three separate but interconnected stories take place with a snowstorm serving as the catalyst for the typical yet entertaining teen drama that occurs.

A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg and Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris Recommended for ages 18 and up

These two books are both by well-known authors that hopefully need no introduction. If you’re a fan of Flagg’s charming Southern fiction and/or Sedaris’s snarky and comedic wit, you’ll love these selections. (If you’re not familiar with either of these authors, it’s time for a visit to your local library or bookstore!) A Redbird Christmas is a bit shorter than many of Flagg’s other works while Holidays on Ice is a collection of short stories, so both are perfect reading choices for the busy holiday season.